Cajun Navy Relief Set To Hold First Search And Rescue Games

Cajun Navy Relief will hold its first Search and Rescue Games on Saturday in the Atchafalaya Basin. The games will serve as a training exercise for disaster rescue scenarios in extreme flooding. Spokesperson Amy Jones says the Games also give the volunteer rescue group a chance to work with new GPS equipment.

"That includes a lot of the updated software and equipment that many companies have now come and to provide Cajun Navy Relief to help when it is go time and when there is a natural disaster."

Jones says markers will be “hidden” in several locations and will need to be “rescued” just like in a real disaster scenario.

"They will work together to locate where these particular markers are. Once they save four or five markers then they have to come back to home base and return them."

This week, Colorado State researchers revealed they expect three strong hurricanes to strike the U.S. this year. Jones says the dire forecast makes these training games all that more important.

"We're very quickly approaching the beginning of hurricane season. And if it moves any way like it did last year, there just may not be time to do a second event."

Any boaters and dispatchers involved with real life search and rescue operations can sign up and participate.